Subscriber signaling system



B. J. MILLER ETAL 2,573,349 SUBSCRIBER SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 9,1949 l2 l3 20m Rf Amplifier Video a "E Amplifier l: l Detector a ll ,|55 |4 Key S nch Vertical Signal 1- Slgnal Sweep f Filter SeparatorGenerator HI -22 HI I8 is Decoding Delay Horizontal Signal Line AndSweep Generator Switch Generator 4 ill 4 l Decoding Sig. Hlter And 1 15,

"SW Operator I IO I03 Erasing Signal Source 99 m4 85 I07 7s 2 e9 lf E ns15 L 8(4 m y l jl l BERTRAND JMILLER 68 T LineTo GEORGE-V MORRISExchange or m V EN R 72 7| Central r t Station V Resonant e7 gj/a'ww6/17- Delecm' Circuit E 5 THEIR ATTORNEY .the same radiated carriermeans.

subscription programs.

UNITED STAES AT T orrlcs SUBSCRIBER SIGNALING SYSTEM Bertrand J. Miller,Oak Park, and George V. Morris, MelrosePark, Ill., assignors to ZenithRadio Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application December 9,1949, Serial No. 132,174

7' Claims. (01. 177353) This invention relates to a subscriber type sig--'nalling.system in which an electrical signal is radiated in coded;form for reproduction solely by: subscriber receivers upon the receiptof a suitable key signal. More particularly, the invention concerns asubscription program metering system for a subscriber type televisionreceiver.

Copending application Serial Number 81,552,

filed March. 15, 1949 for a Subscriber Signalling System in the names ofGeorge V. Morris. and

Bertrand J. Miller, now abandoned, discloses a subscription system inwhich a television signal Eisradiated. to subscriber receivers in codedform and a key signal, necessary to decode the coded television signal,is transmitted to the subscriber receivers concomitantly with the codedsignal by In the system there described a recorder is, coupled to anelement of the receiver which is operable during subscription programs.The recorder is adapted to integrate the time. intervals during whichthe receiver element is operated. From time to time the. recorder may beread to determine the periodic charges to be made to the subscriber. Insuch a system of recording in order to effect customer charges, someperson in the capacity of a. meter, reader must make periodic visits tothe localeof each subscriber receiver.

It is anobject of this invention to provide, in a subscriptiontypereceiver, a metering system which obviates the need for personal visitsto the local-e'of subscription receivers by a meter reader. :,.It is afurther object of this invention to provide, in a subscription typetelevision receiver, a

subscription program, metering system for effecting. subscriber chargesvia a line circuit.

In accordance with the invention, the subscrip- Jtion program. meteringsystem is included in a subscription type television receiver having acomponent element operable during the reception of The. metering systemeffects subscriber charges. via a line circuit over which a reset signalis transmitted from a central station in response to a: subscriberidentification signal. -The system is comprised of an integrator,

coupled to the afore-mentioned receiver element,

"and driven in an additive'direction thereby, to

tion signal at a predetermined time summation of the. integrator.Thesystem further includes are- 2' setting driver coupled. with theintegrator to drive the integrator ina subtractive direction for apreselected time value in response to a control potential. Means,responsive to at least the reset signal, are included to develop acontrol potential for actuating the resetting driver. I

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention itself, both as to its organization and manner of operation,together with. further objects and advantages thereof may best beunderstood by reference to the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing in which the single figure shows,schematically and partly in block form, a complete television receiverof the subscription type includin a metering system embodying thepresent invention with certain elements thereof. shown-in perspective.

Referring to the drawing, the subscriber receiver there shown comprisesan antenna-ground circuit I0, I l coupled to a unit l2 which includesone or more stages of R. F. amplification and a detector. Unit l2 mayalso include conventional converter and intermediate frequencyamplification stages interposed between the R. F. amplifier and thedetector. The output terminals of unit l2 are connected to a videoamplifier l3 of any desired number of stages, in turn, coupled to thecontrol electrode and cathode of a receiver image reproducing device M.The output terminals of unitlZ are also connected toa synchronizing.signal separator 15 which is connected to a vertical sweep generator 16,in turn, coupled. with vertical deflection coils l! of. reproducingdevice l4.

Synchronizing signal separator I5 is also connectdrives shaft 25 througha reduction gear 21, and

is connected to an alternatingcurrent source 28 through a switch 29.

A magnetic pickup head 30, associated with disc 24, is supported forconcentric movement relative to disc 24 bya carriage member 32 slidablydisposed on an arcuate bar 33. Pickup head 30 is coupled to a decodingsignal filter and switch operator 34 through switch means within themetering system 35, embodying the present invention, as will be pointedout more fully hereinafter. An erasing head 36 is associated with disc24 and an erasing signal source 3? is coupled with head 36. Head 36 ispositioned relative to the other heads so that upon rotation of the disc24, a given point thereon passes recorder 23, re-

producer 30 and eraser 36 in the named order.

Stage 34 is coupled with delay line and switch I8 and the synchronizingsignal separator I also is connected with delay line and switch I8.Further, vertical sweep generator I6 is coupled with stage 34.

The metering system of thepresent invention" is coupled with shaft 25and'm'eters the movement of this shaft and disc 24 as will bemore fullyexplained hereinafter.

Neglecting for the moment the operationof television receiver of thetype described in the Morris etal. application in which the televisionsignal is coded to appear in twomodes. In a 'first mode, the videosignal components of the composite television signal have a certain timerelation with respect to the I synchronizing signal components and inasecond mode the video signal components have an altered" time relation'with respect to the synchronizing signal components. Specifically, inthe second-mode the video components are delayed a small amountwithrespect to the synchronizing components. Bursts of coding or key signalat a particular frequency are transmitted with the composite televisionsignal and are representative of one of the two modes of transmission.Thus, at a sub-1 scription receiver the key signal may be selectivelyremoved from the composite signal'by means of a selective filter networkand utilized to compensate the'variation in timing of the videoand'synchronizing signal components 'to afford proper decoding of thecoded signal. In order that information regarding program "chargingrates be supplied to subscriber receivers,

there is provided, at the transmitter (notshown) means for selectivelytiming the key signal components relative to the composite codedtelevision signal to indicate the rateof charge. Inoth'er words, asignal is transmitted having the coded television signal and the keysignal time displaced from one another by a selected time intervalindicative of thecharging rate and' in a sub scriber receiver acorresponding time interval must be interposed for decoding.

A subscription, television signal of the type just described may bereceived by'antenna ground circuit IO, U and'a'mplified in unit I2. Thedetected, coded signal is amplified in the video amplifier I3 andimpressed on reproducing device I4 in the usual manner to provideintensity modulation of the electron beam thereof. The synchronizingsignal components of the received signal are separated therefrom in thesynchronizing signal separator I5 and synchronizing pulses are impressedupon vertical sweep generator It to synchronize the sweep produced'bycoil 4 ll of the device I4. Similarly, horizontal synchronizing pulsesfrom the separator I5 are impressed on the horizontal sweep generator I9through the delay line and switch I8 to synchro- 1 nize the horizontalsweep produced by deflection coil of device I4. The delay line andswitch stage I8 is actuated at appropriate spaced time intervalsaccording to the change in timing from one mode to the other of thevideo signal components of the received television signal. Suchactuation of the delay line and switch I8 acts to delay the timing ofthe horizontal sweep of device I4 during spaced time intervals an amount"identical to the delay in the video signal com- Thus, the video ponentduring these intervals. signal delay is compensated and the device I4reproduces correctly the image represented by the received televisionsignal.

The'actuation of the delay line and switch I8 by operator 34 iscaused-to occur at appropriate times by the key signalzcarried on theradiated television signal. This 'key signal is removed from thetelevision signal by. the filter .2L and controls thedecoding signalgeneratorIZZ; Bursts of decoding signal thereby. are obtained from"generator 22, which occur at the same instant that a correspondingburst of coding signal occurs at the transmitter *(not shown) Thesebursts of decoding signal from generator 22 are recorded magnetically ondisc by means of recording head 23. Such'recording may beeffectedwhenmotor 26 is connected with..A..C.

source 23 to produce rotation of'shaft 25 an'd disc 24. I. T-he bursts"of decodingsignal are picked-: up from the disc by means ofpickup head-aj'predetermined time interval later than recorded, depending upon theI displacement of :head 30 from head 23 along the periphery of disc 24and V the rotational speed of the disc; which always is constant.-Thedecoding signal'bursts then are impressed on the filter of stage 34where they act jointly with vertical blanking pulses from verticalsweep'generator -I 6to actuate the delay line and switch I8 during thesame spaced intervals that'the coded signal shifts from'one mode-oftransmission to the other. Thus unit I8,:-'under the control of unit 34,either transmits thelsynchronizing componentsfrom'separator'I5 to gn- Herator I9 with no delayorintroduces a delay'to such componentscorresponding to the delay of the video with respect to thesynchronizing information characteristic of one of the two' modes oftransmission. In'this manner, thetiming'of the horizontal sweep of thereceiver image reproducing device I4 is altered during the' spaced timeintervals when thetiming ofthe video signal components of the receivedtelevision signal are altered, and the device I4 correctly reproducesthe image represented by the television signal'.

thereon passes erasing head 36.

Referring" now to that portion of thefigure v which includes themetering system .35 embodying the invention, there is shown a' disc 38supported for rotation with shaft 25. An idlerwheel 39 is frictionallycoupled with one of the planar surfaces. of disc 38 and is keyed forrotational movement with a shaft 43 which is perpendicular to shaft 25.Idler 39 is arranged to be slideably displaceablealong shaft 43. Acarriage'meinber 4| is supported for longitudinal movement relative to abar 42 disposed parallel to shaft 40,

and includes a forked portion 43 positioned to The decoding signal iserased -fromidisc 24 when that portion of the disc having it recordedengage and displace idler-39 along shaft-40, upon -movement of thecarriage. This provides 'a -variable' speed drive between disc 38 andidler gear 39'. Shaft 40 is mechanically coupled throughareduction gear44 to a shaft 45, in *turn',-coupled-with an integrator 46 of the decadecounter type. Thus, element or disc 24 of the receiver'is coupledthrough shaft 25, disc 35-, idler '39, shaft 48, reduction gear 44 andshaft'dS with integrator 46. 4 r

Integrator 46 includes a plurality of rotatably movabledecade-steppedindicator elements or wheels: In this example, a units element 41- and'atenselement 48 are shown although it isto be understood that anynumber of elements may beincluded. Units element 41 includes digits andis supported directly for retationwith shaft '-45 Tens element 48-includes the digits 0 to 5, inclusive, equally spaced thereon and ismechanically coupled with a gear 4 9 and ageneral ly-discshaped cam 50all of which are jourhailed for rotation in'a bearing 5|. The integra-"tor just described, may be of any well known type in particular the onehere illustrated is of "the" type wherein the tens element 68 isdisplaced by a single digit only when units element 4 1 makes a completerotation, there being no inter- "mediate positions (between digits) forelement 18. The operative details for counter 41, 48 are generally wellunderstood and thus such are not shown or described.

6am 5!) includes a cam follower actuating surj face-52 disposed alongthe annular surface there- "o'f 'at a preselected position relativetoindicator element. This position corresponds to a predetermined timesummation of integrator 45 and, in this example is the summation 40*. Itshould be noted that the total time unit summation of integrator 46 is50, for this illustrationyalthough anyother suitable calibration may beemployed. The integrator is arranged to be driven in an additivedirection with rotation of element 24 of the receiver to integrateithetime interval during which element 24 is operated.

A seconddisc of magnetic material 53 is sup 'port'ed for rotation withshaft 25 and has magnetically recorded thereon a subscriberidentifi'catio'n signal. The disc 53* in combination ,with a magneticpickup head 54 constitutes a gen- --signal-l I A 'c amswitch 55 includesa cam follower 5E ''si pported "for engagement with cam 5d tobe actuatedby surface 52 of the cam. The cam ffollower portion 56 of switch 55 issupported at erator for producing asubscriberidentification u.

- one extremity of a lever 57 pivotally supported "at the other" endthereof in a bearing 58. A spring 59' biases lever 5'. so that camfollower 56 nen'gages the annular surface of cam 50. An ex- ..tension toof lever 5'! is in incipient engagement with the movable contacts of apairof normally 1 oipen singlerpole single throw contactors" 6.1,. 52 nand 63; 54. Switch 55 is so arranged that when camiflais rotated to aposition inwhic'h actuating surface 52, displaces cam follower 58 bothpairs I of contactors complete circuit connections.

The, reproducing head 54 of the subscriber ,aidentific'ation signalgenerator is coupled tozthe iinputterminals of an amplifier 55 throughcon- F tacts' 63* and 5d. Amplifier 65 is coupled with an amplitudelimiter 65-, the output terminals of which are coupled with an inductioncoil 51 ma netically coupled with a telephone instrument '68; in turn,connected with a line to a telephone exchangeoi: central: station netshown). Thus,

when switch 55 is actuatedby surface 52' of cam in response tomovement'ofintegrator 46 the subscriber identification signal"generator' 53, 54 is selectively coupled to the line circuit toestablish on the line transmission of the identification signal at apredetermined time summation of the integrator. The other pair ofcontacts GI and 62 of switch are connected in a series circuit including'awarning light 59 and a battery '10 in a-manner such that when switch55-is actuated, battery In is connected to warning light ;to a groundreturn 15-, and the'other'outpu-t terminal is connected through acoupling condenserliiwith a control electrode ll of an elec- 'tron-'-dischargedevice 18 having an anode 19,

a cathode 85, a second control electrode 8| and ashield electrode'ilzfor electrode 8-l.' One output terminal of limiter 55 is connected toground 35 and the other terminal iscoupled -to the second control grid8! through'a coupling condenser i5. Cathode '85 is returned to groundthrough a resistor 83' and shield electrode '82 is connected tea 3supply bus 84 through a dropping resistor 8'5 and'is bypassed to groundby a capacitor 85,

The positive terminal of a bias supply source Bl is connected to ground"i5 and a pair of potentiometer resistors 68 and '89 are connected inparallel with source '81. Respective, variable taps and 9! areprovidedfor' resistors 88 and 89a Control grid ll'is connected to tap-9! through a resistor 52' and the second control grid BI is connected totap 90 through a resistor 93.

' Eachof taps and 91 is bypassed to ground 15 by respective onesof'bypass condensers 94 and 95. Anode 19 is connected with 3 supply bus84 throu h an" output load resistor "96. Tube 18 n which, as pointedout, is coupled with theidentifica'tion signal generator and the linecircuit is a comparing circuit for comparing the'identification andreset signals. I

The anode 19 of tube 18 coupled to anode 91 of a unidirectionallyconductive device 98 here shown as a diode rectifier, through the seriescombination of a condenser 99 and a resistor Hill.

. Rectifier 98 further includes a cathode I01 connected to ground 15.Devices" 15 and 98 may be considered as the means responsive to'jatleast the reset signal for developing a control potential to actuatearesettingdriver. y I

Anode 91 is connected with the control electrodeof anjelectron-dischargedevice I03 through a resistor I'M. Device I03further'fincludes an ,Qa'node iv and a cathode 155. Control electrode"I52 iscon'nected through "a, resistor lfll to the junction of resistorsH31 and I58 which form a v voltage divider'be'tween bus 84' and ground15.

liontrolgrid m2 is byj-p assed to ground by a condenser H381 cathode I05is returned to ground through a resistor M9. '70

,Bsupply bus .84 is connected to th positive terminal of a source of Bsupply I II through the normally open contacts H2 and H3 of a relay II4.The'negative terminal of source III is connected to ground I5. Relay H4includes an energizing coil H5-connected in parallel with warningindicator light'69 and thereby when switch 55 is actuated the contactsH2 and H3 of relay H4 are closed by the energization of .coil H5 and Bpower is supplied to the B supply .bus 84. v

In the vicinity of integrator 46, a rod H6 is supported for longitudinalmovement within a member H1. A longitudinal continuation of rod H6includes, on one surface, a toothed rack H8 which is mechanicallycoupled with gear 49 through a gear H9. Rack H8 may be directly .meshedwith gear 49, however, for the sake of clarity of illustration theintermediate gear I I9 is shown and gear 49 is indicated as being aspiralv gear. By this expedient, the rack I I8, is movable in a planewhich intersects the plane of gear 49. A spring I20 extendsbetween'member H1 and the junction of rod I I6 and its toothedcontinuation- H8 to bias the-rack in a right hand direction, looking attheplane of the sheet of the drawing. When integrator 46 is driven in anadditive direction the rack is arranged to be displaced in a directionopposed to the bias of spring I20. It follows then that spring I20constitutesaresetting drivercoupled with integrator 46 adapted to drivethe-integrator in a subtractive direction.- A stop abutment I2 I- ofresilient material is disposed on rod I I6 at the position from which.the continuation for rack H8 extends. Movement of the rack and rod islimited by stop I2I engaging member II! when driven by the resettingdriver or spring I20. The arrangement is Q 'such that the resettingdriver drives the rack I I8 and integrator 46 in a substractivedirection for a preselected time value in response to a controlpotential.

Another surface of the continuation of rod I I6, opposite rack H8,includes another toothed or serratedsurface I22 which is adapted to beengaged by a pawl I23, which together constitute a ratchet, so that whensurface I22 is displaced in opposition to the bias of spring I20 thepawl maintains rod H6 .in any displaced position, against thebias of thespring I20. Pa wl I23 is -supported, near the extremity thereof oppositethe rack engaging portion, for pivotal movement ,Labout pivot I24. 'Thepawl I23 carries an extension I25 and a toggle spring I26 is attached toextension I25 in such a manner that pawl I23 normally is biased in adirection counterclock-- wise relative to the plane of the drawing andinto engagement with toothed surface I22. Extension I25 carries a pieceof magnetic material I21 in thefvicinity of electromagnet H0 positionedso. that ,when the electromagnet is energized the jjmag'netic materialis attracted thereto. As a result pawl I23 is pivoted about point I24 ina direction clockwise relative to. the plane of the figure, carryingpawl I23 from engagement with surface I22, and toggle spring I26 iscarried through its over-center position whereby extension I25 is biasedagainst electromagnet IIII. In this operative condition, pawl I23 issustainedin the dash position shown, by the biasof spring I26. Rod 'I I6carries a second motion limiting stop I28'disposed at the end oppositethe continuation carrying racks H8 and I22. The length of rod H6 isadjusted so that when integrator 46 reaches the limit of counting, inthis example 50 time units, stop I28 engages member-I I "I and rack I22.

idler wheel 39 and .disc 38. Concurrently, as

stop I28 engages member III, the extremity of rod continuation H8 is inthe position shown by a dash'line and engages the movable-, contact I29of a normally closed switch having a fixed .-contact I29. I

ries circuit with pickup head 30 and decoding This switch is connectedin sesignal filter and stage 34.

At the extremity of pawl I23 opposite the rackengaging portion and pivotI24, a bracket I30 extends in a direction parallel to the axis of, thepivot; cooperatively disposed with;respect to bracket I30, a deflectablefinger I3I is pivoted at the side of the continuation" of rod H6 having.

racks H8 and I22. Fingerxl3l is biased against a stop I32 by a springI33 and is arranged to engage and displace bracket, l30 when pawl- I 23is in the dash position and rod H6 isdisplaced ,in the direction of thebias of spring I20 thereby, -returning the pawl into engagement with Amanually'operable controlsknob I34 having a calibration scale I35 ismechanically coupled through a suitable linkage I36to carriages ,4I and32. -The linkage is. suitably arrangedsso that when knob I34 ispositioned, in accordance with aparticular programming rate of charge,

carriage 32 is positioned to properly displace head 30 from recordinghead 23in order that the proper time delay. be interposed on thedecoding, signal. Simultaneously carriage 4I isdisplaced to the positionwhereby the rate at which idler wheel 39 rotates is proportional to theparticular programming rate. of charge. f a

. Assume now that thereceiver is conditioned to translate a codedtelevision signal as described above. Switch 29 is closed and power issupplied to motor 26 thereby providing rotation of disc or element 24through shaft. 25.

-By means of selector knob 34 the position of pickup head 30 is adjustedrelative to that of recording head 2 3along the periphery-,of disc 24 tothat position wherein the decoding signal of decoding. signal generator22-is delayed by ,the

proper time interval and supplied to stage 34.

With this manual adjustment'idler wheel-394s so positioned on thesurface of disc 38 that-the speed with which shaft 40 rotates isdependent upon theprogramming rate of charge and hence the speed withwhich time unit intervals are.

intergrated by integrator 4 6'is related to the programmingrate. Eachtime units wheel 41 of integrator 46-comp1etes one revolution, tenswheel 48 is advanced one digit. As the 'readingof integrator 46increases rod H6, H8 is driven-to the left, looking at the plane of'thedrawing; in response tomovement of tens wheel .48,-and ismaintainedin'position by means of pawl I23 engaging the. toothed surfaceI22. Whenthe reading of integrator 46 reaches 40 :un'its, actuatingsurface .52 of cam50 engages .and displaces cam' follower 56 to pivotlever '51 in a Y direction opposed to thebias applied byspring.

59. This movement, being transferred through arm60, closes contacts 6|and 62' and contacts:

63 and 64. The closing of contacts 6I and'62 completes the circuitbetweenbattery I0 and warning-light 69 and energizes relay "coil I I5 ofrelay H4 to close contacts H2; H3 of the'relay and apply B power fromsource III to vacuum tubes I8 and I05. The closing of contacts 63 and 64completes 'a circuit from pickup. head 54 attests iamplmer li5..-an.dlimiter es tothe line to t e telephone exch n e throu h the n t on oi167a and telephone unit 68.

- Thesubscriber identification signal is also applied to vcontrol id 4.1e r n t be l wh h tube has been adjusted as an amplifier by means .ofbias controlsflll and 9i so that the subscriber identification signalappears in the ,anode ciricuit atkresistor; 9,6. This signal is appliedto flipdefifi and a negative unidirectional voltage, relative t ground sde e op across. is o 1.01- .Ele t o ub l Bw s rm l i f-1 conductivecondition, by reason of. the forced positive bias from divider [07, 198at control ri .1102 is; supp ie wi -th e at ta e at grid I02. Themagnitude of the negative rel eeeis s fiieien t rend r t e t b A Q lcQnl fil'i c unter h fil as. h i ore it maybe seen that at the instantanode $112121? 3 .Q s u ce. L ri appl ed. easel-03 ne a e v l a ela ve tai s 5 applied to control grid I02 as a result of the signalifrom thesubscriber identification sigee se 2 re o f f The subscriber in notingthat the decade coun ter-pf integrator l6 has reached 40units (or hisattention to this occurrence may be called by warning light GS)completes a telephone call tothe central or :transmitting station (notShownl -usually by means of thetelephone unit 7 :68. At the transmittingstation not only is communication with the' subscriber carried on butthe subscriber identification signal also is received. This. signal,through suitable means, .gnot" shown) observed to identify thesubscriber and cheek his credit states. These steps being completed, arecording of the subscriber identification signal'is' made" and a resetsignal eitherin identical or in opposite phase to the .subscriber signalis transmitted on a carrier from the transmitting station to thesubscriber; jlhe incoming carrier or reset signal, transmitted'jrom' thecentral station in response to theYshbs'criber' identification signal,is selected .by'resonantcircuit ill and the intelligencemodu lationi'sremoved .therefror'nby detector '52. The resulting. reset signal ismenses. inlstage 1.3,, amplitude limited'in stage. and, applied tocon-10 surface I22, the bias of spring l carries rod H8 in a direction totheright with reference to the plane ofthe drawing, until stop abutment I2!engages member Ill. rack H8 and the diameter of gear 49 are such thatwhen rod H5, H8 travels through the justdescribed sweep, tens wheel 48is driven in a sub-- n01 grid Tl of vacuurnftube mean a; polarity oposite tothat with which the subscriber identi fica n signal is appliedto control g'ri'dlB l'l Since .u" a d M are utilized'to amplitude limit:both the subscriber identification and the reset signals the timingrelations of the two signals plied at, gridslB I, T! may belco mparedbytube If, thesignals are of the same .characten'rela} ,ti tov durationand repetition interval, they .cancel one ahotheriin tube l3 andthealternating .ifoitage' which ordinarily is applied mgan egsi o dio.de.,98 is"relnove'd. This removes'thenega tivevoltage' component, supplied.byst'ag'e TS, mm grid lfizjvacuum tube Lilli; becomes con tive andcurrent flows through the energizing o l of electrfdrriagnet H0; j

ith current'fiowing through the coil of elect1' magnetJJfl .'a{magneticfield isiset up which Y jaittrse smagneueeminent, m to can ythe eatensite 125 and pawl I23 in a direction clockwise about point I24 relativeto the plane of the sheet gr the drawing. Togglespringj l ZSjwhio'hcarrid through its overcenter position now 'main-.

ew/n22 in a position abutting electr c inla'gnet [0r Aspawl .123 isifred' from' toothed tractive direction for a preselected time value;

The time value in this example is {l0 units and is eifected in responseto the control potential developed in the comparing circuit includingvacuum tube 78. v

As continuation H8 of rod! l fi travels in a restoring directiondeflectable finger [3| engages b acke awl: '23 t m s tet of thepawhreverse to that imparted by the field .cf electromagnet I ll Hence,pawl [23 is placed in engagement with toothed surface 122.

Should the receiver be operated beyond .40.time units, and no resettingsignal is applied, 'rod [H6 is carried to ,a stop position in whichabutment I28 engages member 5 I'll, 'In this (dash) 'position of therod. the extremity ofportion l l8 opposite stop 12! engages the movablecontact I29 to open switch 129,129". The'opening of this switch breaksthe circuit between pickup head 30 and stage 3.4 of the receiver and adecoding signal is no longer available for properly altering the tiniingof the coded television signal." Consequently, the representation ofreproducing device. |4..is nolonger intelligible, and the receiver isrendered substantially.inoperative for subscriptio'n' programs. However;should a call be completed to the central station by the subscriber, theafore' described sequence of 'operationr'estores the systenrbysubtracting 40 time units, to anoperative condition.

It is contemplated that the entire workings of the metering system 35 becontained inside a sealed box within or' adjacent to the subscriberreceivehl Of course, warning light 69'.and the counter wheels' ll and48hr integrator 4.6 should be visible for observation by the subscriber.

The invention provides, therefore, in a subscription type receiver, ametering'system which obviates the need for "a meter reader makingpersonal, visits to the. locale of the'subscriber receiver. Subscribercharges are effected via a line circuit .over whichjaf reset signal istransmittedfrom a central station in response to a subscriberidentification signal. In the absence of a subscriber identificationsignal no reset signal is transmitted, thereby materially obviatingimproper resetting operations. In other words, resetting may not'beaccomplished unless the decadecounter at thesubscriber receiverindicates at least 40 timeun'its.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been shownand described, it 'will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications maybe made without departingfrom thisinventioni'n its broader aspects, and therefore, the aim 'inthe appendedclaims is to cover all such changes and modificationsas'fall within thetruespirit and scope of this invention.

1. In a subscribertype television receiver including an element operableduring the reception of subscription programs, a subscription-programmetering system for eifectingsubscriber charges via a line fcircuit overwhich a reset signal is transmitted from a, central station in responseto a subscriber-identification signalcomprising: an

The length of toothed tegrate the time intervals during which saidelement is operated; a generator for producing a subscriberidentification signal; a'switch actuated by said integratorfor-selectively coupling said generator with said line circuit toestablish on said line transmission of said identification signalcharges via a line circuit over which a reset signal is transmitted froma central station in response to a subscriber identification signalcomprising: an integrator of the decade counter type coupled to saidreceiver element and driven in an additive direction thereby, tointegrate the time intervals during which said element is operated; agenerator for producing a subscriber identification signal; a switchactuated by said integrator for selectively coupling said generator withsaid line circuit to establish on said line transmission of saididentification signal at a predetermined time summation of saidintegrator; a resetting driver coupled with said integrator to drivesaid integrator in asubtractive direction'for a preselected time valuein response to a control potential; and means responsive to at leastsaid reset signal for developing a control potential for actuating saidresetting driver.

3. In a subscriber type television receiver including an elementoperable during the reception of subscription programs, asubscription-program metering system for effecting subscriber chargesvia a line circuit over which a reset signal is transmitted from acentral station in response to a subscriber identification signalcomprising: i an integrator of the decade counter typeincludingfa'plurality' of movable decade-stepped indicator elementscoupled to said receiver'element and driven in an additive directionthereby, to

integrate the time intervals during which said t element is operated; acam supported for movement with one of said indicator elements andincluding a cam-iollower'actuating surface disposed at a preselectedposition relative to said indica' tor element corresponding to apredetermined timesummation of said integrator; 'a'generator forproducing a subscriber identification signal; a switch includinga camfollower supported for engagement with said actuating surface of said'cam to be actuated thereby for selectively coupling said generator withsaid line circuit to establish on said line transmission of said identification signal at said predetermined time summation of said integrator;a resetting driver coupled with said integrator to drive said integratorin a subtractive direction for a preselected time value in response to acontrol potential; and means responsive to at least said reset signalfor developing a control potential for actuating said resetting driver.-i

4. In a subscriber typetelevision receiver including an element operableduring the reception of subscription programs, a subscription-programmetering system foreff ectingsubscriber charges via a line circuit overwhich a reset signal is transmitted-"from a central station in re- 12sponse to' a subscriber identification signal comprising: an integratorcoupled to said'receiver element and driven in an additive directionthereby, to integrate the time intervals during which said element isoperated; a' generaton ior producing a subscriber identification signal;a

switch actuated by said integrator for selective ly coupling saidgenerator with said line circuit to establish on said line transmissionof said identification signal at a predetermined time summation of saidintegrator; a resetting driver coupled with said integrator to drivesaid integrator in a subtractive direction for a preselected time valuein response to a control potential; and means responsive jointly to saididentification signal and to said reset signal for developing a controlpotential for actuating said resetting driver; ii a 5. In a subscribertype television receiverin cluding an element operable during thereception of subscription programs, a subscription-program meteringsystem for effecting subscriber jcharges via a line circuit over which areset'signal is transmitted from a central station in response to asubscriber identification signal comprising: an integrator coupled tosaid receiver element and driven in an additive direction thereby, tointegrate the time intervals during which said element is operated; agenerator for producing a subscriber identification signalfia:

switch actuated by said integrator for selectively coupling saidgenerator with said line circuit to establish on said line transmissionof said idene V tification signal at a predetermined time summation ofsaid integrator; a resetting driver cou-- pled with said integratortodrivesaid integrator in a subtractive direction for a preselected timevalue in response to a control potential; and a comparing circuitcoupled to said identification signal generator andto said line circuitfor com-.

paring said identification signal with said reset signal to develop acontrol potential for actuating said resetting driver. V

6. In a'subscriber type television receiver in cluding an elementoperable during the reception of subscription programs, asubscriptionprogram metering system for effecting subscriber charges via.a line circuit over which a reset signal is transmitted from a centralstation in response to asubscriber identification signal comprising; anintegrator coupledto said receiver element and driven in an additivedirection therebyjto integrate'the time intervals during whichsaidelement is operated; a generator for producing a subscriberidentification signal; a switch actuated by said integrator forselectively coupling said generator with said line circuit to establishon said line transmission of saidv identification signal at apredetermined time summation of said integrator; a resetting drivercoupled with said integrator to drive saidfiritegrator in a subtractivedirection for a'preselected time valuein response to a controlpotential; and a comparing circuit coupled tosaid identification signalgenerator and to said line 7 circuit for comparing said identificationsignal with said reset signal to develop a controrpp tential foractuating said resetting'driverin the presence of signals having apredetermined ing relation relative'to one another.

7. In a subscriber type television receiver :including an elementoperable during the recap;

tion of subscription programs, a subscription program metering systemfor efiecting subscriber charges via a line circuit over which aresetsignal 13 is transmitted from a central station in response to asubscriber identification signal comprising: an integrator coupled tosaid receiver element and driven in an additive direction thereby, tointegrate the time intervals during which said element is operated; agenerator for producing a subscriber identification signal; a switchactuated by said integrator for selectively coupling said generator withsaid line circuit to establish on said line transmission of saididentification signal at a predetermined time summation of saidintegrator; a resetting driver coupled with said integrator to drivesaid integrator in a subtractive direction for a preselected time value;a relay for actuating said resetting driver; and means responsive to atleast said reset signal for developing a control potential for actuatingsaid relay.

BERTRAND J. MILLER.

GEORGE V. MORRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,919,992 Stewart July 25, 19332,254,378 Mallina Sept. 2, 1941 2,306,654 Tuman Dec. 29, 1942 2,370,736Kittredge Mar. 6, 1945 2,393,374 Herrick Jan. 22, 1946 2,403,059Dillenback July 2, 1946 OTHER REFERENCES Phonevision, by Roschke, paperpresented November 1, 1948, pages 1-16. (Copy in-Division 16.)

